Galapagos Sky Itinerary

Galapagos Sky Sample Itinerary

The seven night itinerary offers a total of 17 – 19 dives (check out dive included) - all weather, current and sea condition dependant - and three land excursions on every trip. Diving in the Galapagos is considered ADVANCED diving as it occurs in the presence of strong currents, cold water and at times limited visibility. Diving from tenders/pangas (small inflatable boats) is also the rule and not an exception in this World Renowned destination.

We visit Wolf and Darwin Islands on every trip – the diving there is arguably the best in the world! The Galapagos Sky itinerary has two days with long (you’ll be asleep) overnight navigations in order to get to these crown jewels of world class diving.

Besides our resident mantas, sharks, and whale sharks, this is also the time to photograph little Galapagos invertebrates in vibrant color as well as keep an eye out for mola molas. During your time in the central islands, you’ll also walk in the steps of Charles Darwin, with three guided land excursions. You will visit the Highlands in search of the Galapagos Tortoises in their natural habitat and also explore the lava tubes and visit the Charles Darwin Research Center . The second land experience you will enjoy vary on which season you visit. Lastly on Sunday morning our guests will explore the Interpretation center in San Cristobal before your return flight to Ecuador.

As on any liveaboard or diving adventure – Itineraries may be changed due to current or pending weather conditions or at the Captain’s discretion for your safety. Itineraries can also be changed at the discretion of the Galapagos National Park who administer cruise itineraries.

Itinerary

Sunday (Embarkation day):
Isla Lobos - Check out dive

When you arrive at the airport at San Cristobal on Sunday, the crew of the Galapagos Sky will personally meet you, collect your luggage, and escort you to the Galapagos Sky. Your dive bags will be delivered to the dive deck, and personal luggage to your cabins. After everyone is on board, we will introduce you to the boat and do our mandatory safety briefings and drill. Then, we cruise to the area of Los Lobos for your check-out dive.

This will be your first underwater introduction to Galapagos sea lions and fur seals! Watch them Zoom in and out and dance playfully for you! Even on the first day of your liveaboard trip, you begin to see the myriad and diverse land formations which comprise the Galapagos Islands topside.

Monday:
Bartolome – 1 dive and land walk
Cousins 2 dives

Bartolome is a lovely area providing wonderful photo opportunities. This is also where guests enjoy a favorite land tour where they can climb to the top of the hill to where breathtaking views abound. Penguins can be seen at this dive site. Conditions permitting, snorkeling with penguins will be allowed.

Cousins Rocks- this dive is an itinerary favorite and is conducted along a beautiful wall allowing for great viewing opportunities for corals, frog fish, sea horses, scorpion fish and octopus. It is also a great dive for large schools of Barracuda and also Hammerhead shark sightings. Sea lions will be your companions upon entry and on the safety stops.

By definition, the entire Galapagos Archipelago is geographically remote.  But at the end of this first day, you will head towards the most isolated, northernmost part of the Galapagos Islands – the uninhabited, untouched, twin cathedrals of world class diving – Wolf and Darwin Islands.

Tuesday - Thursday: Wolf & Darwin
Tues - 4 Dives a day at Wolf plus a night dive
Wed - 4 dives at Darwin
Thurs - 3 Dives total: 2 at Darwin and 1 afternoon dive at Wolf before long transit back to central islands

Diving Wolf and Darwin

You’ll spend the next three days diving (up to four dives per day plus a night dive) the legendary islands of Wolf and Darwin.

Most experienced divers will agree, Wolf and Darwin are the best dive sites in the world! Whale sharks are common here from Mid May through November. At The Arch at Darwin, you will see hammerhead sharks either individually, in small groups, or large schools. Bottlenose dolphins are common. The reef contains many warm water varieties of fish found nowhere else in the Islands. Once you see Wolf and Darwin – you’ll immediately understand why there are no shore excursions on this part of the cruise – there is no way up the vertical cliffs!

Darwin Island: Considered by many experienced divers as the very best dive site in the world, The Arch at Darwin Island (actually several dive sites depending on where you enter, currents etc) honours its reputation. It is warmer by a few degrees than the central islands. In one single dive you can find schooling hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, large pods of dolphins, thick schools of skipjack and yellow fin tuna, big eye jacks, mobula rays, and silky sharks. From June to November, it is not uncommon to encounter whale sharks in numbers of up to eight different individuals in one single dive. The presence of occasional tiger sharks, black and blue marlin, and killer whales adds on to this amazing diving experience. If you still have time to look for smaller stuff, you’ll find octopus, flounders, and an enormous variety and abundance of tropical fish. Darwin Island is the biggest jewel on the Galapagos Crown.

Wolf Island: One of those magical islands, with several dive sites to choose from. If you want to see sharks, you are at the right spot. This is the place for schooling hammerhead sharks, large aggregations of Galapagos sharks, and occasionally whale sharks. Seeing dolphins, large schools of tuna, spotted eagle rays, barracudas, sea lions and sea turtles is common. The bottom is littered with hundreds of moray eels, many of them free swimming. Being several degrees warmer than the central islands, you can look for many representatives of the Indo-Pacific underwater fauna. On a night dive here you will also enjoy spotting and watching the red lipped bat fish walk along the bottom of the sea!

Friday:
Cabo Marshall 1 dive – Marine iguana dive
Punta Vicente Roca up to 2 dives and Panga ride if time allows

At Cabo Douglas, on the western side of Fernandina Island, we will conduct one dive on Friday morning. Here you can expect to see Galapagos penguins, marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, sea lions, seahorses, sea turtles, horn sharks, red lipped batfish, and occasional hammerhead sharks and white tip sharks. Also keep an eye out for chevron barracuda, snappers, yellow fin tuna, rainbow runners, and wahoo. There are also a lot of smaller fishes like creole fishes, parrot fishes, scrawled filefishes, pacific box fishes, and tiger snake eels.

This day we also visit Punta Vincente Roca for up to two dives. Our coldest yet rapidly increasing favorite dive – steep, deep vertical wall covered in soft coral, sponges, and endemic black coral. Regular sightings of mola mola (oceanic sun fish), sea horses, bullhead sharks, red lipped bat fish, various shrimp and many other marine invertebrates. Our after-dive panga ride offers great photo ops for penguins, flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, sea lions, blue footed and nazca booby birds, magnificent frigates and noddy terns. The diving here is chilly (particularly below the thermocline – but not to be missed!).

Saturday:
Northeast tip of Isla Pinzon/Islote Dumb - 1 dive
Puerto Ayora/Highlands tour

Isla Pinzon - This site has quickly become a favorite with guests! Isla Pinzon is the place for encounters with a variety of species of sharks, sea lions, mantas, eagle rays, and moray eels. Many species of fish and tropicals including yellow tailed surgeonfish, king angelfish, moorish idols, steel pompanos, snappers, grunts, creole fish, octopus and barracuda.

This dive is then followed by a transit to Itabaca Channel where guests will be transferred by bus (at approx. 1400h and approx. 45 minute ground transfer) to visit the Highlands of Santa Cruz to see the Galapagos Tortoises in their natural environment; and a visit to Puerto Ayora. Guests will then be transferred back to Itabaca Channel to board the Galapagos Sky approx. 1900h for dinner on board. The Galapagos Sky will then return to San Cristobal for Sunday morning cruise completion.

Sunday Morning
Land Tour and Day of Departure
Interpretation Centre

Arrive San Cristobal for land excursion and visit the Interpretation Centre where an interesting human history of Galapagos is presented. You can take a town walk (with a last chance for shopping). Late morning departure.

We look forward to sharing our Exceptional Underwater Adventures with you!